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Subscribe to RSSAs part of the first demonstration of laser communication with a satellite at the moon, scientists with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter beamed an image of the Mona Lisa to the spacecraft from Earth.
NASA has turned the Mona Lisa into the first digital image to be transmitted via laser beam from Earth to a spacecraft in lunar orbit, nearly 240,000 miles away, thanks to a technology that may soon become routine.
The experiment took advantage of the laser-tracking system that's in operation aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been circling the moon for the past three and a half years. NASA sends regular laser pulses from the Next Generation Satellite Ranging station at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland to the space probe's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, or LOLA, to measure its precise position in lunar orbit.
For last March's Mona Lisa maneuver, researchers encoded a black-and-white version of Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic masterpiece as a series of values in a 152-by-200-pixel grid. Each value represented a shade of black to gray to white, ranging from zero to 4,095. The signal for each pixel was then piggybacked on the ranging station's laser-tracking pulses: Each pulse was fired during one of 4,096 super-short designated time slots, at a rate of about 300 bits per second.
As the pulses were received in lunar orbit, LOLA's software used the precise timing of each pulse to figure out the grayscale value for a given pixel — and reassembled the black-and-white image. The process wasn't perfect: Atmospheric turbulence introduced laser transmission errors, even when the sky was clear. To accommodate the 15 percent error rate, the researchers used Reed-Solomon data coding, which is the same method used to smooth out the bumps in the playback of CDs and DVDs.
The picture was reprocessed and sent back to Earth using the orbiter's standard radio communication system, just to make sure that Mona survived the trip intact. Throughout the experiment, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter conducted its regular mapping tasks without interruption.
A research report on the experiment, with Goddard's Xiaoli Sun as principal author, was published online by Optics Express on Thursday.
NASA
This composite image shows how the Mona Lisa image looked after its trip to the moon. The left side shows the picture before error correction, and the right side shows how it looked after error correction.
Sun said the Mona Lisa was chosen for the transmission because the painting is so much more visual than strings of random numbers. "It's a familiar image with lots of subtlety," he said. "You can immediately feel whether the image looks right, and how much information got lost."
The feat marked the first time anyone has achieved one-way laser communication at planetary distances, LOLA's principal investigator, David Smith of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in a NASA news release.
"In the near future, this type of simple laser communication might serve as a backup for the radio communication that satellites use," Smith said. "In the more distant future, it may allow communication at higher data rates than present radio links can provide."
A data rate of 300 bits per second may seem achingly slow by today's standards, but NASA is planning a higher-bandwidth laser communication demonstration for its next mission to the moon, known as the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer. When LADEE is launched in August, it will carry an experimental laser system that's designed to transmit data at a rate exceeding 600 million bits per second.
In 2017, NASA is due to send an experiment called the Laser Communications Radar Demonstration into orbit aboard a commercial satellite to test a full-fledged, beam-based communication system. Studies suggest that laser systems have the potential to transmit data at rates 10 to 100 times faster than traditional radio systems for the same mass and power, or match radio's data rate with a smaller, more efficient package.
Who knows? Mona Lisa may well mark the start of a renaissance in high-speed satellite communications.
More about next-generation communications:
- Interplanetary Internet passes test
- NASA mission to test ultimate space Wi-Fi
- Military's new radio: laser beams
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
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While this to the Moon laser imaging is pretty amazing .
I'm even more amazed at the clarity of the pictures taken from the Rover Curiosity from Mars that are sent back .
Next time beam up the "Blue Marble" image.
Hey mr. boyle, I have a favor to ask. We are always hearing about the Canada-arm, the Italian that, the esa this and so on. Recently I saw that an American rocket stage was being replaced by one from the esa. Would you ask someone in NASA, who is paying for this stuff?
If taxpayer money is being sent to foreign countries, I am not happy about it, we are bleeding here! I am as impatient as most but we can wait for industry in the usa in order to keep our money at home. The negative balance of trade is killing us.
IWonder - One problem with that is the diminishing budget of NASA and other research projects. They have to do what they can with the little that they are given. It's simply much cheaper to buy a finished product from someone else than it is to develop it on our own.
Just another instance of the USA shooting ourselves in the foot.
The Canadarm is paid for by Canada, the Italian Space Agency is surprisingly capable and pays for its own gear, and the European Space Agency is also paying for the development of the rocket stage (service module, actually).
You could add JAXA to that list, too.
In return for developing AND PAYING FOR those items, NASA can spend its budget on other stuff, so more is getting done for the same investment. For these agencies the benefit is that they get to share in the science investigations as full partners.
It's a very good deal for ALL involved.
Thanks for the information Michael, that's very good news. I was fairly sure that the Russians were paying for their stuff, they are not normally liars or dead beats. To boot, they are funny, have you watched any of their youtube stuff?
Laser communication has long been the stuff of scifi authors. It's fascinating to see it finally coming to fruition for interplanetary communication. Exciting times indeed.
Looking forward to making long distant calls via tight-beam communication lines to my grandchildren on Mars already.
It doesn't speed up the speed of the communication at all. Radio waves and Light travel at the same speed.
Yes, but we are talking about density of the signal. How much data can transmit is what NASA trying to do.
One application is high speed data transmission between base to satellites and to another satellites and finally to target. Good luck intercept that.
But light can carry more information, therefore it is faster.
It doesn't ... but it is directional unlike radio. Right? Radio signal goes in all directions and is susceptible to listening by unwanted parties. Laser is directional.
Radio Waves are so Facebook if you know what i mean. Laser is direct, very to the point, no nosy neighbor affect.
PS. Radio waves can be made VERY directional, even more than a laser beam.
The "gain" of the very large array radio telescope in New Mexico can be configured to have a steradian resolution equal to a dime on the Moon.
Laser light hitting the moon (with current technology) will have expanded to more than 100 yards in diameter.
@inMYday - you are talking about reception rather than transmission when you are talking about radio telescope.
"Yes, but we are talking about density of the signal. How much data can transmit is what NASA trying to do."
Which is exactly why we do fiber optics down here...
The U.S. Navy has developed a laser powerful enough to blast through 20 feet of steel per second. If we could build one of those on a high mountain and use it to send graphic pictures around the galaxy, we might be able to let another civilization out there know we are here. - RC
We could test it first by bouncing it off an ice covered moon somewhere in our own solar system. - RC
(At the very least we could send out prime number pulse series, or like in the movie "Contact", even a combination of the two. (You were absolutely wonderful, Jodie!)) - RC
(I am very curious. Can we build a large powerful maser using a long cylindrical stack of circular plates which can be stimulated from the side?) - RC
Rick,
They already know we are here. They probably know of hundreds of planets with species such as us and near our developmental level. We aren't that interesting. More likely, we are a 'downer' planet full of troubles that they probably don't want to mess with yet.
As soon as we get our planetary house in order, and learn to act as a unified species, they will introduce themselves. Until then, we are just a bunch of violent primitives with nothing to offer them other than tears.
I hope that soon we will discover proof of them out there. That is the only way we will start to become embarrassed by how disorganized and fractured we are. We need to become embarrassed by how we look to outsiders before we will ever get our act together. "Quick, clean up the planet - somebody is watching us..."
I caught Ricks comment, let them know we are here. We don't even know we're here. We need to be the one communicated too. Philosopher8, you are dead on the money with your comments. They know we are here, and have been told to stay away from that planet Earth, they just can't seem to get it together down there.
The numbers of people on this planet that don't give a damn or are in it for themselves, or just want to kill and destroy. Wow, it's unbelievable the discourse and strife people knowly bring to others. Wake Up!!! Violence, how tacky!!
Light does not travel across the galaxies as well as radio waves.
The universe contains a LOT of dust, which blocks light but allows radio waves (even as short as less than one millimeter) to pass.
That's why the big telescopes are radio telescopes (stars give off radio waves as well as light waves) and not visible light telescopes, and it's why SETI monitors radio frequencies.
The only extraterrestrials who might know we are here would have to be as near as 120 or so light years--because of the speed of light and the invention of radio. In astronomical terms, 120 light years is a very, very short distance.
rick's suggestion of a maser is an interesting idea.
"They already know we are here. They probably know of hundreds of planets with species such as us and near our developmental level. We aren't that interesting. More likely, we are a 'downer' planet full of troubles that they probably don't want to mess with yet.
As soon as we get our planetary house in order, and learn to act as a unified species, they will introduce themselves. Until then, we are just a bunch of violent primitives with nothing to offer them other than tears."
So, quite apart from the question of existing at all, you would presume to have such intimate knowledge of their thought processes as to know what extraterrestrials find interesting, or what their threshold of open contact may be?
Our faults may make us no less interesting in the eyes of others, and it would be clear very quickly that we have zero capacity to bring our 'bad behavior' back across interstellar distances to them.
So, why hide?
When people make this sort of assertion that can't possibly be supported or debunked until and unless someone does show up, I'm forced to assume it has far more to do with what the assertee thinks of the human condition, than whatever standards aliens may have.
And that's okay. Human behavior often does suck. But but unless you have your own communication channel to them, don't pretend to speak for ET.
"Philosopher8", yes, I already know that many of these advanced ETs out there know we are here. Our planet has actually been clandestinely visited many thousands of times every year (and for thousands of years already), if only by a limited few who are in control of our sector of the Milky Way galaxy. I have personally been trying to alert mankind for years now to the ongoing covert ET effort to radicalize, volatilize, and ultimately destablize and prevent mankind's successful emergence as a full fledged member of our greater galactic community, so these outside local offensive totalitarian ETs can potentially steal and annex our extremely valuable celestial real estate. These outside offensive totalitarian ETs are actually the ones who covertly installed all three of these corrupt Abrahamic religions into our emerging human world, which in turn are all key biocybernetic warfare components of a larger ET designed PWMD, or Program Weapon of Mass Destruction, intended to crash and explode our emerging human world in a final program cataclysm of global warfare fueled with WMDs known as the Christian Apocalypse or World War III, so these regional domain ETs can then use their eminent domain rights of military intervention in our sector of the Milky Way galaxy to move in on our precious Earth and take it over, while once more masquerading as Divinity toward mankind, this time as the returning Christ or Messiah. Their ultimate intent is to eventually steal and annex our extremely valuable celestial real estate while rendering mankind extinct on this precious planet in the process. These regional domain ETs are a cultural singularity under the control of an advanced but delusional ET/AI system, and they ultimately want to use our extremely valuable celestial real estate as a future stepping stone to further galactic conquest. The real "Gospel" or "Good News" is that mankind potentially has countless millions (even billions) of years of growth, development and expansion ahead of them, so long as they don't fall for these ET designed and installed terminal religious "End Time" belief systems. Please listen, everyone, before it is too late! - Rick Carter
This reminds me of the "transporter" technology from Star Trek -- matter "scrambled" into energy, beamed (piggybacked on a beam of light) elsewhere, then "de-scrambled" back to its original form.
Life imitates art! And art imitates Star Trek. <3
What is the point of this? Is this why everyone is busting on NASA for being lost?
The point of doing this is for communications for missions to planets and beyond. A laser concentrates all of its energy into a very small target space, while radio waves just fly out in every direction all at once. By focusing energy into where you want it to go, and not wasting energy broadcasting in every direction, we can get more total power delivered for long-range communications. This may prove important for communicating at planetary distances, and especially if we go further out.
Everything starts small, especially in science.
Philosopher8 -- you're right. We need to crawl before we can walk. And if you're going to beam a picture of anything, it should probably definitely be the Mona Lisa.
Philosopher, radio waves do not "fly out in every direction." What you describe is an isotropic antenna, which exists only in theory and cannot exist physically.
Radio waves can be made very directional. Have you ever seen microwave antennas on a tower? Those antennas are so directional that the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere affects the path of the radio signal.
Contrary to what many posters have said, light has its limitations in atmosphere, and in space it is blocked by dust. Radio waves are not blocked by dust. We have a LONG way to go before lasers will be used for telecommunications across air or space. That is why telecommunications uses fiber optics.
The Mona Lisa? *gag*
They should have beamed up a photo of Juno Temple or Alessandra Torresani or Alyson Hannigan... *yow!*
I missed there latest tatoos on Hollywood Tonight. I heard their really cool!!! Rock On!!!
Something is definitively wrong with this picture.
Can you guess?
I give up. What?
...thanks to a technology that may soon become
routine.a weapon.Oh no! The sky is falling!
I think laser technology is already advanced enough to make viable weapons. Much like everything else, it is energy/battery technology that is dragging progress down. There is just too much big money out there keeping new energy technologies squashed.
Computer tech doubles every two years but when it comes to energy production and battery tech we have been stagnant for decades. Coincidence? I think not!
Laser weapons have already been in testing -several- years back. Laser communication being part of mainstream communication is news. Your point being?
you won't be singing that tune when you have a picture of mona lisa burned onto your ass, brother.
The debate could be made that a laser weapon would actually be a more humane weapon than a projectile weapon. It would kill instantly in the right spots and if the person were only wounded the wound would be self cauterised.
The discussion is pointless at this time though, we are a long long way off from developing battery tech that would power a personal laser rifle.
Any significant advance in technology can be used for negative purposes, that is no reason to fear progress. As long as we keep fighting over shrinking natural resources and ancient superstitions, we will never get anywhere. We're @!$%#ed!
How is that more humane? A projectile weapon will certainly kill instantly in the right spots as well. And if you shoot them with a laser,the wound cauterises, they'll just be in agony. I'd rather bleed out and slip away than be tortured with some wicked burning portrait painted on my chest. lol.
I don't fear progress. I fear we have the wrong people getting their hands on it. I fear we're already @!%#ed.
BanUFOs - LOL Some people may stand in line to have that done!! Angelo's Tattoos are you!!!
Kevin,
Lasers have been used for communications since the 1980's or before.
Ever heard of fiber optics? Much of the equipment used to generate the light on those fibers uses lasers (some of it uses LEDs).
Guys, lasers are literally line-of-sight weapons. They will surely have their uses, especially in space and open air. But can be blocked by surfaces that conventional rounds can easily shoot through.
Seriously. For a time, the Army experimented with infantry training with a sort of adult laser tag. Granted these were very low power devices, but the found it encouraged the bad habit of taking cover behind objects that was adequate to block an opposing soldier's beam, so they could not register as a 'kill,' but it was the sort of cover that would have been useless against a bullet.
Over-the-horizon ballistic weapons like artillery and short range rockets will continue to have their place.
Amazing idea for waste of time and money. Why not picture of E.T.? or Grinch or even Hulk would do... but Mona Lisa, I dont think that "Aliens" will like that.
they'll think we're all ugly.
"...but Mona Lisa, I dont think that "Aliens" will like that."
First: You don't know that. (Indeed, without knowing the encoding format, they'll never reconstruct the image, anyway.)
Second: Wasn't meant for aliens. Re-read the story. Noting in there about extraterrestrials...
Alan,
Has anyone explained why a 0 - 4095 scale was used rather than 0 - 512? Or 1 - 1024?
And why 4095 rather than 4096?
Hey BanUFO's, Jim know to much. He's one of them!!!!
Nah, I know I think I know what I think I know.
And it is never to late to learn.
I'm just one of us. How 'bout you?
Zero is a number thus 0-4095 is 4096 digits. 4096 is 2 to the 12th power. Binary number system. 0's and 1's.
slodon, you beat me to it by nearly an hour.
Jim, what slodon said.
LOL.
Slodon, I think we agree. Where I am coming from is that numbers indicating values are being sent and if the first number has value zero, and the next has value 1, then 2,4,8....512, 1024, 2048, 4096.
Black and white imaging is typically measured on an 11 zone system. But it is not unusual for the first zone to be discounted. Sometimes graphical representation compresses the first two or three zones.
An excellent job could be done with a 4 bit number, or a very good job using a 3 bit number, to access a value table.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding the purpose of the exercise. Was it to find a way to efficiently use laser pulses to transmit information, with the Mona Lisa as the metric or was it an exercise to measure how much complexity could be built into a system and still maintain comprehensiveness.
And/or perhaps some other method or contrast scale is in use. Alan?
Jim,
If your range is 4096 values, the numbers only go up to 4095.
Binary much?
It's semantics.
I was referring to the quantification of the qualitative value of human perception of brightness, not the bits or digits. Starts at zero, then level of 1, then 2, and keeps doubling for each perceived brightness increase.
Sorry to confuse the issue. Time for a beer.
Last march? Now that's hot off the presses.
Why are we doing stuff like this while the princess is pregnant? Ms. Lisa is French and the french have been nothing but a thorn in the crown's side since the battle of hommburg in 987. by doing this type of moon-play with french icons you are basically telling the princess that her child will never exceed the heights of the french kingdomm and that does nothing but foster further ill-willl between the two countries. Send up a apology letter with your lazer-stuff or else, you have two days.
Russia, India and China are planning both robotic and manned missions to the moon.
The United States has a kid with a mohawk, sends pop music to Mars and the Mona Lisa to the LRO.
This is the state of space science in America.
NASA has 100 mission exploring the Solar System and beyond.
Mars rovers and orbiters, LRO, MESSENGER, Cassini, Hubble, Chandra, Dawn, the venerable Voyagers, and many MANY more.
THAT is the state of space science in America!
Russia, China, India, JAXA, and ESA are all doing wonderful work, but combined they are still a fraction of what NASA does every single day.
Nice job of cherry picking there Arx
NASA is just a bunch of big kids who get to play with all their high tech gadgets on the taxpayers' dime.
It's still a better investment than many of the other things that we spend our "dimes" on.
Like it or not - we have to innovate if we hope to remain competitive.
I agree rick. Lots of people will say, "We could be spending it on the poor."
Yep, we could, that's the surest way I know to cause there to be more poor. We've been "helping" the poor ever since 1932, that's 80 years, google the results for yourself.
I read, just today, that the F35 has cost us more than $300 billion? Wow!!! I'd still like to know who is paying for the foreign space stuff?